Malta's credibility at stake - PM

Eddie Fenech Adami warned yesterday that if elected to government, Labour leader Alfred Sant would take decisions on his own without involving the social partners.

Speaking during a social activity in Villa Arrigo, Naxxar on the theme of jobs and employment, Dr Fenech Adami said: "The government considers the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development to be the motor between entrepreneurs, the government and unions to tackle all the issues together and move ahead".

The prime minister said the government's policies had created 14,000 jobs in the past four-and-a-half years and EU membership would continue to sustain these policies by attracting new investment.

The parliamentary secretary in the Home Affairs Ministry, George Pullicino, said several foreign companies had invested in Malta because of the government's policy to join the EU.

"The chairman of the company responsible for the Innovan electric van told me the company would reconsider its position in Malta if the island opted not to join the EU. We believe it is important for the island to be part of a bigger economic family."

During the debate, Dr Fenech Adami asked how 31 of the island's influential organisations could possibly all be wrong: "Can professional bodies such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Industry, the GRTU - Association for General Retailers and Traders and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants' Association all be wrong and the MLP on its own be right?"

Dr Fenech Adami stressed that Dr Sant was taking the public for a ride when he was constantly changing the timeframe of how long it would take to negotiate a "partnership" agreement with the EU.

"Is it proper or acceptable that Dr Sant discusses our future in this manner? One day he tells us it will take him about 10 years and the next day it goes down to just one month," he said.

Dr Fenech Adami once again reiterated that those who voted in this election did not necessarily have to be Nationalists but people who had the country's interest at heart.

He also said that the country's credibility was on the line in this election since the Labour Party had stated it would not sign the EU Accession Treaty on April 16 even though the nation voted yes in the March 8 membership referendum.

"We will become a laughing stock if we do this," he warned.

Later in the evening during another social activity in Siggiewi, Dr Fenech Adami said Eurosceptics who resisted change before their country joined the EU had now changed their mind and recognised the benefits.

"Greek prime minister Constantinos Simitis recently told me that he was against originally joining the EU, but he later realised how wrong he was. One day the Labour Party will have to admit how wrong they were," he said.

He stressed that the upcoming election was no ordinary election because there was Malta's future at stake - it was the most important election since Malta gained independence.

"If only the Labour party had reviewed its policy after a majority of 53.6 per cent voted in favour of the EU, it would have been a normal campaign. But, Dr Sant even shot down his last option of signing the EU Accession Treaty - it's too late for a change of heart now," he said.

Dr Fenech Adami later presented the 10 candidates contesting the April 12 elections on the seventh district.